It's been my experience that theists have a difficult time understanding the perspectives of people who are considerably different. They're so focused on otherworldly qualities and sin that they don't take the effort to understand the human condition.

So, do you think abandoning these untenable beliefs and opening yourself up to the real world changed your capacity for empathy and morality?

I became much more open minded and accepting of other people. A great example would be the homosexual community. I remember being guilt tripped as a kid to not like them and not support businesses who tried to help them. I still regret listening to that.

Not really. I was from a progressive catholic family, and many of our moral views were fairly liberal. I also grew up till I was 12 in Brooklyn, and was around lots of different people from different backgrounds. Intolerance was just not a thing.

Essentially all my deconverting did was disillusion me to supernatural claims.

For me it was a mixed bag. I was very angry, so I vented off on religious family members who were pious and the hypocrites as well. I was much later free though to stop seeing the world in antagonistic terms of us vs them, though I still feel this antagonism in Atheist circles, just reversed.

“The reason people use a crucifix against vampires is because vampires are allergic to bullshit.” ― Richard Pryor

(30-05-2014 07:49 AM)give me moon rocks Wrote: It's been my experience that theists have a difficult time understanding the perspectives of people who are considerably different. They're so focused on otherworldly qualities and sin that they don't take the effort to understand the human condition.

So, do you think abandoning these untenable beliefs and opening yourself up to the real world changed your capacity for empathy and morality?

No...you just become a better person

The secret to a happy life is lowering your expectations to the point where they are already met

(30-05-2014 07:49 AM)give me moon rocks Wrote: It's been my experience that theists have a difficult time understanding the perspectives of people who are considerably different. They're so focused on otherworldly qualities and sin that they don't take the effort to understand the human condition.

So, do you think abandoning these untenable beliefs and opening yourself up to the real world changed your capacity for empathy and morality?

In the words of oscar wilde..you are an ass (or a handbag). Either way you have wrapped your head around 3 syllables that mean as much meaning as
s a burger kng staff training pamphlet

The secret to a happy life is lowering your expectations to the point where they are already met

Nothing changed for me. I already had the same empathy and morality that I have now. But that was part of what turned me away from religion because religion was telling me things that contradicted my own sense of morality.

I am not accountable to any God. I am accountable to myself - and not because I think I am God as some theists would try to assert - but because, no matter what actions I take, thoughts I think, or words I utter, I have to be able to live with myself.

I am not accountable to any God. I am accountable to myself - and not because I think I am God as some theists would try to assert - but because, no matter what actions I take, thoughts I think, or words I utter, I have to be able to live with myself.